E.L.O. Part 2 : Charleston, South Carolina - 1st June 2000
Charleston is an interesting town...it feels like a town that tries, really hard, to lay itself out conveniently, but is undermined by its own geographic location. For example, the "beltway" that the North Charleston Performing Arts Center is next to, does not actually go all the way around the city; there's a big ocean in the way. :-) So you zip along at high speeds on this convenient freeway...until you slam headlong into miles of backed up traffic leaking off of it on either end, onto the shore highway.
While this made hotel access difficult, fortunately it didn't detain me from getting to the Performing Arts Center well in advance of the concert. Not far enough in advance, though, to be the first of the "ELO faithful" to arrive; I met Jill Rosenthal and Wally Dixon already outside the concert hall, along with wagons from a few of the local radio stations (publicity is good!).
It was amusing to see the kind of audience this concert drew. It was billed as much of a "Charleston Symphony Orchestra" concert as anything else. So, half the audience was dressed for a rock concert; the other half was in their 'orchestral appreciation finery'. Overall, it may have been the most well-dressed audience ELO 2 has played for yet. :-)
It was also amusing seeing these two groups mingle in the hall outside the concert before they opened the doors, along with "Dippin' Dots" vendors and what-have-you. While there, I met the only other of the ELO Faithful I encountered that evening, Bill Claiborne. He tipped me off about the ELO mailing list I've been fortunate enough to add this report to. :-)
This was a far cry from the free concert in Mississippi, by the way. I believe the actual ticket was around $30, but by the time one added parking fees, tax, title, registration, extended warranty, tips and Universal Service Fund fees, it came out to about a $45 evening. At least it went to good causes: Both a charity and, hopefully, to ELO 2 as well.
At 8 sharp, a well-dressed local DJ came out and introduced the band, announcing they would be out in a few minutes. I thought this was a very good idea, since it helped keep the audience from getting restless. (Of course, I have to remember this was *not* a casino crowd full of short-tempered gamblers-on-hold).
The concert hall seated 2,300 and was about 40% full at showtime. Photography was forbidden, but I saw at least a couple of flashes going off. I didn't take any pictures during the show myself, though, for fear of getting booted out.
The hall had an interesting acoustical effect on the entire concert. Not all may agree, but I certainly felt as if the whole thing bounced nicely off the side walls and straight into my ears. :-) What was really neat, though, was that the hall was so dark, the audience was hit by random reflections off of the band's instruments. (And here I could insert something absurdly melodramatic about "basking in the glow of Mik's violin", but I better pass).
This was also the first time I was seated far back enough to see Gordon over the drum set. (Usually, of course, I'm too close.) Not only does he play mean drums, but he gets a great mean look, too! "Grrrrr!!" :-)
And Then The Band Played:
Fire On High (using pre-recorded intro)
All Over The World: I may have been the last to notice this, but at this concert (and I think the Mississippi one), the lyrics have changed from "Monte Carlo, Chard End and" to "Monte Carlo, Bir-ming-ham".
Showdown (In which Hux went to town with an electric guitar solo!)
Over London Skies (A song "on the record coming out later this year").
Poker ("from way back in '75")
Twilight (with a heavy violin part bridging into...)
Last Train to London (said the conductor this time: "Last train to Charleston!")
The Diary of Horace Wimp
Roll Over Beethoven (pre-recorded intro): In which Mik played a stunning bit of violin on his knees and bent over backwards at center stage!! I wish I *had* used my camera on that one...
(Intermission:) The band was joined by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Louis Clark.
Underture
Evil Woman (which brought the audience to their feet)
Rock 'N' Roll Is King
Nightrider
Ma Ma Ma Belle
Interlude 2 (....Okay, how many of you other attendees caught that one? ;-) )
Ticket To The Moon
Strange Magic (with the full original intro, played by the orchestra)
Sweet Talkin' Woman (on their feet again!)
Confusion
Do Ya (and now it's "I heard Gordon Townsend on the drums", no less)
Eldorado Overture
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
(introductions)
Livin' Thing (about here, I lost track of what times the audience was on their feet or not :-) )
I'm Alive
Xanadu
Telephone Line (with an orchestral intro grafted on, from another ELO tune that I couldn't place)
Standin' In The Rain
Mr. Blue Sky (Mik gives out with a beautiful violin solo that leads into...)
Rockaria!
Turn To Stone
Encore: Don't Bring Me Down (during which I heard, "One of these days you're gonna sing it right...")
There was a small reception at a nearby hotel after the concert, at which I had the distinct pleasure of meeting and chatting with each of the band members at length, for the first time (PS: He prefers "Hux" over "Parth"), as well as with Gary Szabo, Steve McManus and Den York. (I see you guys reading! Hiiiiii! (*WaveWaveWave*)) Does this mean I'm "networking" now? :-)
The thing I have to watch out for is my "sympathetic accent". You may have heard of people who get "sympathetic pains"...well, without thinking about it, I start to take on the accent of whomever I'm talking with. Somehow, I have less trouble with it and British accents, because I like those the best, and perhaps therefore don't want to mangle one by attempting it myself. :-) I think I did pretty well all evening, though I think at one point I called it the "bahnd".
The big news is that the next ELO 2 album is well underway, and due to come out later this year. As I remember it, the tracks have been recorded and now the backing strings need to be added. No title has been chosen yet.
EPILOGUE: The Leaving
I may now qualify as one of the luckiest Lightheads (or "blessed", take your pick). The next morning, I was packing up my belongings at the hotel, and discovered, much to my chagrin, that my wallet was not among them. There was no doubt what had happened: The shorts I wore to the concert had *very* shallow pockets, and it isn't like I sat still all evening. ;-) Immediately after the concert, people came through and cleaned up the hall (as "Baby On Board" from "The Be Sharps" played on the speakers, of all things), so I didn't figure on having any luck finding it at my seat; nonetheless, I hastily beat a path back to the Performing Arts Center and had a good look around. And it's one heck of a good thing I did. The wallet had splayed open and lodged on the thin metal inbetween the seats. I would never have noticed if I hadn't been standing there looking straight at it...let alone if I had sent someone else in to look for it.
It's remarkable how much a little incident like that can cheer you up. ;-) But I'm not gonna do it more often anyway.
Joe Thiel - June 2000
Charleston is an interesting town...it feels like a town that tries, really hard, to lay itself out conveniently, but is undermined by its own geographic location. For example, the "beltway" that the North Charleston Performing Arts Center is next to, does not actually go all the way around the city; there's a big ocean in the way. :-) So you zip along at high speeds on this convenient freeway...until you slam headlong into miles of backed up traffic leaking off of it on either end, onto the shore highway.
While this made hotel access difficult, fortunately it didn't detain me from getting to the Performing Arts Center well in advance of the concert. Not far enough in advance, though, to be the first of the "ELO faithful" to arrive; I met Jill Rosenthal and Wally Dixon already outside the concert hall, along with wagons from a few of the local radio stations (publicity is good!).
It was amusing to see the kind of audience this concert drew. It was billed as much of a "Charleston Symphony Orchestra" concert as anything else. So, half the audience was dressed for a rock concert; the other half was in their 'orchestral appreciation finery'. Overall, it may have been the most well-dressed audience ELO 2 has played for yet. :-)
It was also amusing seeing these two groups mingle in the hall outside the concert before they opened the doors, along with "Dippin' Dots" vendors and what-have-you. While there, I met the only other of the ELO Faithful I encountered that evening, Bill Claiborne. He tipped me off about the ELO mailing list I've been fortunate enough to add this report to. :-)
This was a far cry from the free concert in Mississippi, by the way. I believe the actual ticket was around $30, but by the time one added parking fees, tax, title, registration, extended warranty, tips and Universal Service Fund fees, it came out to about a $45 evening. At least it went to good causes: Both a charity and, hopefully, to ELO 2 as well.
At 8 sharp, a well-dressed local DJ came out and introduced the band, announcing they would be out in a few minutes. I thought this was a very good idea, since it helped keep the audience from getting restless. (Of course, I have to remember this was *not* a casino crowd full of short-tempered gamblers-on-hold).
The concert hall seated 2,300 and was about 40% full at showtime. Photography was forbidden, but I saw at least a couple of flashes going off. I didn't take any pictures during the show myself, though, for fear of getting booted out.
The hall had an interesting acoustical effect on the entire concert. Not all may agree, but I certainly felt as if the whole thing bounced nicely off the side walls and straight into my ears. :-) What was really neat, though, was that the hall was so dark, the audience was hit by random reflections off of the band's instruments. (And here I could insert something absurdly melodramatic about "basking in the glow of Mik's violin", but I better pass).
This was also the first time I was seated far back enough to see Gordon over the drum set. (Usually, of course, I'm too close.) Not only does he play mean drums, but he gets a great mean look, too! "Grrrrr!!" :-)
And Then The Band Played:
Fire On High (using pre-recorded intro)
All Over The World: I may have been the last to notice this, but at this concert (and I think the Mississippi one), the lyrics have changed from "Monte Carlo, Chard End and" to "Monte Carlo, Bir-ming-ham".
Showdown (In which Hux went to town with an electric guitar solo!)
Over London Skies (A song "on the record coming out later this year").
Poker ("from way back in '75")
Twilight (with a heavy violin part bridging into...)
Last Train to London (said the conductor this time: "Last train to Charleston!")
The Diary of Horace Wimp
Roll Over Beethoven (pre-recorded intro): In which Mik played a stunning bit of violin on his knees and bent over backwards at center stage!! I wish I *had* used my camera on that one...
(Intermission:) The band was joined by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Louis Clark.
Underture
Evil Woman (which brought the audience to their feet)
Rock 'N' Roll Is King
Nightrider
Ma Ma Ma Belle
Interlude 2 (....Okay, how many of you other attendees caught that one? ;-) )
Ticket To The Moon
Strange Magic (with the full original intro, played by the orchestra)
Sweet Talkin' Woman (on their feet again!)
Confusion
Do Ya (and now it's "I heard Gordon Townsend on the drums", no less)
Eldorado Overture
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
(introductions)
Livin' Thing (about here, I lost track of what times the audience was on their feet or not :-) )
I'm Alive
Xanadu
Telephone Line (with an orchestral intro grafted on, from another ELO tune that I couldn't place)
Standin' In The Rain
Mr. Blue Sky (Mik gives out with a beautiful violin solo that leads into...)
Rockaria!
Turn To Stone
Encore: Don't Bring Me Down (during which I heard, "One of these days you're gonna sing it right...")
There was a small reception at a nearby hotel after the concert, at which I had the distinct pleasure of meeting and chatting with each of the band members at length, for the first time (PS: He prefers "Hux" over "Parth"), as well as with Gary Szabo, Steve McManus and Den York. (I see you guys reading! Hiiiiii! (*WaveWaveWave*)) Does this mean I'm "networking" now? :-)
The thing I have to watch out for is my "sympathetic accent". You may have heard of people who get "sympathetic pains"...well, without thinking about it, I start to take on the accent of whomever I'm talking with. Somehow, I have less trouble with it and British accents, because I like those the best, and perhaps therefore don't want to mangle one by attempting it myself. :-) I think I did pretty well all evening, though I think at one point I called it the "bahnd".
The big news is that the next ELO 2 album is well underway, and due to come out later this year. As I remember it, the tracks have been recorded and now the backing strings need to be added. No title has been chosen yet.
EPILOGUE: The Leaving
I may now qualify as one of the luckiest Lightheads (or "blessed", take your pick). The next morning, I was packing up my belongings at the hotel, and discovered, much to my chagrin, that my wallet was not among them. There was no doubt what had happened: The shorts I wore to the concert had *very* shallow pockets, and it isn't like I sat still all evening. ;-) Immediately after the concert, people came through and cleaned up the hall (as "Baby On Board" from "The Be Sharps" played on the speakers, of all things), so I didn't figure on having any luck finding it at my seat; nonetheless, I hastily beat a path back to the Performing Arts Center and had a good look around. And it's one heck of a good thing I did. The wallet had splayed open and lodged on the thin metal inbetween the seats. I would never have noticed if I hadn't been standing there looking straight at it...let alone if I had sent someone else in to look for it.
It's remarkable how much a little incident like that can cheer you up. ;-) But I'm not gonna do it more often anyway.
Joe Thiel - June 2000